


Turn for Better

by siobhrag



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Arguing, Bathing/Washing, Established Relationship, M/M, Making Up, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:28:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23130214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siobhrag/pseuds/siobhrag
Summary: Even the most awful situation can change for better.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Severus Snape
Comments: 4
Kudos: 163





	Turn for Better

**Author's Note:**

> Not betaed.  
> My half-hearted attempt at higher rating; I chickened out at the last moment, though. :P   
> I began writing this three months ago, so there are still some mentions of winter.

Harry was staring gloomily at his cup of tea.

The lunch-time noise and clatter of the café around him didn’t help any in dampening the thoughts he was trying so hard to escape. 

Harry took a sip of his disgustedly tepid tea, propped his chin on his hand, and stared at the street behind the window. The wintery view of the street didn’t exactly cheer him up. It seemed everything around him was set on making him stay in this depressed condition.

They had another row. Again. 

Harry had never thought that his relationship with Severus would be all smooth and peaceful, yet he had never thought they would fight so much over such trivial, stupid and insignificant things. This time it was about towels. Merlin, who cares what colour should the towels be in their bathroom?

It’s been almost a year since they started the whole thing and barely a day had passed without Severus flying of the handle over something. 

Harry sloshed the remains of his tea around the cup. Maybe, it wasn’t a good idea, them getting together. He didn’t like this thought, but it kept coming to him more often than he would like. 

They’ve been walking around each other for months, before they tentatively began their relationship in earnest. Sometimes Harry thought it took them years to get to that point. Counting his school years, Harry mused, he has known Severus for thirteen years. The most important ones were, of course, those when Harry helped Severus get his freedom back after the war. 

They knew each other’s characters well, they knew about each other’s pasts and demons. They both lived through a lot of painful moments in their lives. So that when they discovered that both of them, surprisingly, had some feelings for each other, they decided it was worth a try. They thought they could make it work.

Harry loved Severus, loved him very much, but he wouldn’t be able to live his life like this, in constant arguments and mood swings. 

Harry put down his cup and asked the passing waiter for the bill.

Burrowing into his scarf (it was a present from Severus, Harry thought sadly), he went out of the café. The cold wind hit Harry in the back, and he immediately regretted not having a hat. Glancing around cautiously, Harry whispered a warming charm. It did take the cold out of his body, but did nothing to remove the chill from his soul. 

Harry walked on, without particular direction or purpose. He didn’t want to go home yet. It wasn’t the first time he stormed out like this after their rows. He would return home in a couple of hours and everything would be like it was before, like none of it had ever happened. Severus would be calm and slightly worried about him being absent for so long, but yet another thorn would be embodied into their relationship. 

Severus never wanted to talk about any of this. Sometimes Harry wondered as to how it was possibly not to mention any of their arguments. Every time he tried to talk about them, Severus would find another, more important, thing to discuss. Did everything seem fine to him? Was it how he imagined their relationship? 

The town was small. There really weren’t many places to go to. As Harry roamed the snow-blown streets, he remembered how carefully they were choosing this place, how they immediately liked it when they had Apparated to its main street for the first time, late at night so that no Muggles would see them. 

It seemed a perfect place for them. Severus could heal properly, as his wounds and body were still infested with Nagini’s venom, even after all those years; he could do his research and forget about the nosy journalists and curious passer-bys on the streets. Harry really didn’t care that much where they would live, as he could use the Floo to get to his work at the Weasley twins’ shop from anywhere. All Harry cared at that time was Severus’ happiness. 

Wherever Harry went, he would see a reminder of a good time spent there with Severus. 

Harry stopped and looked around. He walked all the way to the other side of the town, to a small park going on into a forest. The place was brimming with colour in spring, summer and autumn. Now, with bare trees and frozen, snow-covered ground, the place looked exactly as Harry felt, sad and miserable. 

He shambled on, walking on narrow cobbled lanes. There was no-one around the park. Harry had the place to himself. He finally found an old wooden bench and sat heavily on it, propping his elbows on his knees and looking ahead without actually seeing anything. 

Harry’s head snapped up when the lights around the park turned on. He looked up at the sky and saw that it was getting dark. He walked for a considerably longer time than his usual couple of hours. 

Harry sighed. He should probably get home. For all their rows and arguments, Severus would be really worried about him. 

Harry stood up and raked his fingers nervously through his hair. He could Apparate, but really, another hour of walking wouldn’t do him any harm. He was about to turn to go into the direction that would bring him home, when he saw a person walking along the faraway lane. It was a man, tall and thin, dressed in black.

Harry stopped breathing for a second. Severus.

He had never gone out to look for him before. Harry stood, frozen in place. He understood that Severus saw him and was walking towards him now.

When Severus stopped in front of Harry, the young man noticed that Severus’ face was wind-blown, his cheeks and nose were red from cold. He wasn’t wearing a coat, just his old Muggle leather jacket which was perfectly suitable for spring, but not for winter, and he definitely wasn’t covered by any warming charms. 

Severus was looking at Harry, silently. His eyes, though, were searching Harry’s form worriedly, and as if making sure that he wasn’t harmed in any way. 

Harry broke the silence first. “Hi.” 

“Hello.” Severus’ voice was barely a whisper. 

Harry made a nervous gesture, as if he was about to touch Severus’ arm. “You look cold.”

Severus shrugged indifferently and shuffled his feet a bit.

“Harry...”

Harry faked a smile, knowing it wouldn’t fool anyone and finally touched Severus’ arm. “Let’s go home.” 

“No.” 

Harry looked up at Severus’ face in surprise. There was a strange pained expression there. “No”. Severus repeated again and awkwardly took Harry’s hand in his. 

Harry almost started at the warmth of Severus’ hand around his own, even though Severus wasn’t wearing gloves and his hands were supposed to be cold. 

“I need to…” Severus faltered and shook his head. He looked into Harry’s eyes. “I apologise.”

Harry’s eyes went wide. Severus never apologised to him before.

Severus went on, as though those first two words gave him courage to continue speaking. “I shouldn’t have shouted at you like that.” Severus’ thumb was nervously twitching, rubbing Harry’s skin gently. “I was wrong.” 

Harry stared at Severus stupidly, still feeling the warmth from his hand. Severus was apologising to him, and it seemed that he wasn’t finished yet. Severus took a deep breath, bracing himself for whatever he wanted to say next. 

“I know I wasn’t at my best behaviour those past several months.” Severus looked down, unable to look at Harry’s face. He moved his hand and took a proper hold of Harry’s, cupping his fingers around Harry’s palm. 

“Severus, it’s...” Harry’s words were stopped by Severus’ fingers, gently pressed to Harry’s lips. 

“Harry, I need to say this properly.” His fingers slid down from Harry’s lips, caressing his chin lightly in their passing. “Our relationship... ” Severus stopped and swallowed audibly, “we began it knowing what we both were, knowing what we felt for each other.” Harry could just tell that Severus’ already reddish checks became even redder with embarrassment at this admission of his feelings. 

“But I... It was hard for me.” Severus looked to the side, at the darkened park around them. Harry suddenly had a bad feeling about this conversation. He kept silent, though, allowing Severus to speak his heart out. 

Severus said something, with his face still away from Harry, and Harry didn’t quite hear the words. 

Harry squeezed Severus’ hand slightly. “What was that?”

Severus breathed in deeply and turned to face Harry again. “I said I was afraid.” 

“Of what?” Harry whispered gently. “Of me?”

Severus smiled bitterly and shook his head. “Not quite.” Absent-mindedly, Severus was caressing Harry’s hand in his own. Harry moved his hand a bit and entwined their fingers. 

“I was afraid of losing you.” 

“But, I’ve said... ” Harry stopped, seeing Severus’ bitter smile return again. 

“Yes, Harry, even after everything you’ve said and done, I was, and still am, afraid of losing you. I feel like I don’t deserve you, don’t deserve the happiness you could bring me.” 

Harry gasped. “Severus... ” 

“Former Death Eaters and acquitted criminals don’t deserve happiness.” Severus’ eyes became distant as he quoted the line from one of the newspaper articles printed after his release from prison.

“Don’t quote that rubbish!” Harry tugged Severus’ hand lightly. The older man’s eyes went back to looking at Harry. “You know it’s not true!” Harry was still feeling angry about all that rubbish that bitch Skeeter wrote about Severus. “You, of all the people, deserve all the happiness in the world.” 

“How can you still say that after I treated you so badly?”

Harry shrugged. “It wasn’t really you; it was your fear that made you do all those things.” Harry realised with relief that the conversation wasn’t quite heading the way he feared it might go.

Severus shook his head again. “No, Harry, it was me. I snapped at you and shouted, and generally was a complete bastard.” 

Severus looked at their joined hands. “I guess, I was unconsciously trying to protect myself in the only way I knew, by pushing someone away from me, by making someone hate me. I guess I tried to do it that way, so that when you were leaving me, you would have a solid reason to do that, and that reason would be me, and not someone else you might have found and fallen in love with.” Severus stopped talking and pressed his lips together. It looked like his determination evaporated, with only his hollow shell left behind. 

Harry breathed in harshly as he noticed that he wasn’t breathing at all while Severus was talking. He took Severus’ other hand in his. “Severus, look at me.” When the other man still wouldn’t move his eyes from their joined hands, Harry squeezed them gently. “Look at me, please.” 

Severus reluctantly raised his eyes to Harry’s face. 

“Severus, what are you talking about?” Harry stepped a bit closer to Severus. “What ‘someone else’? Why would I need ‘someone else’ if I have you?” 

It seemed that Severus wanted to step back from Harry, to get away from him. “I tried to push you away. I made you miserable.”   
Harry huffed. “Well, a bit.”

Severus did make a tiny step back. “I tried to push you away, and went too far with my words...” Severus tried to release his hands from Harry’s hold. “You weren’t coming home for so long, so I assumed that...” 

Understanding dawned on Harry. “Severus, no...” Severus interrupted Harry.

“So, I will understand if you want to end this.” Severus was looking down, at the frozen dirt under their feet. 

Harry was so astonished that he barely noticed as Severus’ hands began to slide out of his own. He grasped them tightly again and pressed them to his chest, tugging Severus forward a bit.

“Severus, no.” Harry was still shorter than Severus and he couldn’t quite look into Severus’ face with his head bowed down. Harry slid his hands to Severus’ shoulders and shook him lightly. “No. No one is ending anything.”

Severus looked up at Harry, disbelieving. “But...”

Harry slid his arms up, to circle them around Severus’ neck. “I’m not going to leave you. Not now, not ever.” 

“I treated you like shit.” Severus’ back was still rigid, refusing to mellow and adjust itself to Harry’s attempt of embrace. 

Harry laughed. “Well, sometimes. You’ve been doing so for seven years when I was at school, so there was nothing new for me.” 

“It’s not the same.” 

“You apologised.” Harry burrowed his hand into Severus’ hair at the nape of his neck. 

“And that’s it? You are going to let it go just like that, with one apology?”

“Yes. You’ve never ever apologised to me before, for anything.” Harry said these words strongly, confidently.

“Why?” Severus finally looked up, shaken and broken.

“Because I love you.”

Severus gasped. “Harry...”

“I love you, Severus. I said it before and I will repeat it for as many times as you would need to hear it.” Harry tugged Severus’ head a bit down, closer to his face. “Yes, we argued, yes, I was feeling bad about it, but it doesn’t mean that I would want to be up and out of your life.” Harry’s fingers were still caressing Severus’ hair. 

“I’ve finally found someone who cares about me, albeit sometimes in such a strange way.” Harry chuckled and was relieved to hear a responding chuckle from Severus. “Everything we fought about didn’t really matter that much, did it?” 

Harry felt Severus shook his head slightly. “Who cares what colour are the towels in the bathroom, right?” Severus blushed a bit, shook his head again and gingerly lowered it down, pressing his face into the crook of Harry’s neck. Harry slid his arms down to hold Severus around his back. 

Harry felt Severus’ arms slide around his waist. His breathe hitched and his eyes watered. He couldn’t quite contain the breathy sob. Severus tightened his arms around Harry. 

They stood like that for some time, holding each other on the outskirts of a deserted park. Harry pressed his cheek to Severus’ temple and felt that the older man’s skin was cold to the touch. He kissed the tip of Severus’ eyebrow and said, for the second time this evening “Let’s get home.” Severus nodded, but didn’t change his position and didn’t loosen his hold of Harry. 

Harry chuckled lightly. “Severus, you’re cold. Let’s get you home.” 

Severus slowly slid his arms off Harry’s waist, straightened his back and nodded. He took hold of Harry’s hand, squeezing it gently but firmly, as if still afraid that Harry might disappear right in front of him. Harry squeezed his hand back. “Let’s Apparate.” Severus nodded again, and in a second they were gone. 

The park was empty. 

***

They appeared in front of their house, still holding hands tightly. Their house stood a bit to the side from the street, so no Muggles could have seen them.

Harry made a step to the house, leading Severus behind him, when Severus suddenly tugged on Harry’s hand, yanking him closer and holding him tightly around his waist again.

Harry gasped at first, and then laughed. “Severus?” He held Severus back, sliding his arms around the man’s waist as well. “What’s the matter?” 

Severus rocked them a bit, sharply breathing in the scent of Harry’s hair. “I’m so, so sorry.” Severus’ voice got a watery edge to it.

Harry pressed his lips to Severus’ neck, to the still tender scars. “It’s alright, we’ll be fine.” 

“I will never argue with you again.” 

Harry snorted. “No, you will, and I will. That’s what people do, even those who love each other. But we will do so only about things that really matter to us, to the both of us together, okay?” 

Severus released his hold on Harry’s waist and nodded solemnly. “Definitely not over towels.” He smirked and Harry laughed, the sound of his voice ringing merrily around the empty street. 

Placing one arm around Harry’s waist, Severus led them to their house.

***

The house was dark but warm. There was a barely audible whining coming from the kitchen. Severus and Harry looked at each other with understanding. 

They went to the kitchen. It was dark as the rest of the house. Several burned out logs cast a weak light onto the floor and the small figure crouched in front of the fire.

“Brinny? What’s the matter?” Harry called gently, knowing perfectly well what the matter was. He crouched near the small figure and gently caressed her head.

The elf looked up at him. Big tears were rolling down her face and she was clutching her floppy ears to her chin. Harry felt sorry for their elf. She was a very young elf, barely out of being a baby. Severus and he took her from Mrs. Weasley when they moved into this house. Every time they fought she would get very upset. Harry could only imagine what she was feeling today, when both of her masters were absent this evening after having such a spectacular fight. 

“Master Harry?” The big smile split Brinny’s face. She then spotted Severus standing behind Harry. “Master Severus!” Severus stepped closer and bent over slightly. 

“Brinny, Master Harry and I would like some hot strong tea.” The elf bound up at these words, her tears and worries forgotten. The kitchen was lit up immediately, all the candles lighting at once. Harry and Severus had to squint at its suddenness. Several logs flew into the fireplace, starting the fire anew. 

“And Master Severus would like some hot bath” Harry said to Brinny’s back. The elf stopped mid step and snapped her fingers. Harry could hear the water filling the bathtub in the bathroom on the upper floor. 

Severus raised an eyebrow at him, amused by Harry’s bossiness. Harry glared back up at Severus. “Yes, you do need to get warmed up properly.” 

“As you say.” Severus extended his hand to Harry and helped him get up from the floor. Harry staggered a bit and fell onto Severus’ chest. Severus was only too happy to immediately wrap his arms around Harry’s waist. Harry snuggled into Severus, sliding his hands under Severus’ jacket.

“Why didn’t you put on your winter coat?”

“I was in a hurry to go and look for you. I didn’t think properly.”

Harry rubbed his cheek into the worn leather. “You could have caught a cold.” 

Severus’ chuckle rumbled low into Harry’s ear. “You two will nurse me back to health.” Harry giggled. 

He peered over Severus’ shoulder at the elf bounding all around the kitchen. Harry had a justified suspicion that instead of the two cups of tea he requested they would get a three-course meal. 

Harry lowered his head on Severus’ shoulder and closed his eyes. He could feel Severus’ warm breath on his neck. 

Their quiet moment was interrupted by an excited gasp from Brinny. Harry looked sideways at her. She was practically jumping with delight at seeing her masters at peace. Harry smiled at her.

“Master Severus’ bath is ready, Master Harry.” The way Severus taught her, she was probably the most educated and well-spoken elf in the entire Wizarding Britain.

“Thank you, Brinny.” 

Harry reluctantly disentangled himself from Severus’ embrace and tugged him upstairs. He then stopped for a moment. “Brinny, bring the tea to our bedroom, please.” 

The elf nodded her understanding eagerly.

Harry led Severus upstairs, holding his hand all the way up. Severus was following Harry’s lead quietly, sensing that that was exactly what Harry needed just now – to feel in control of the situation, of Severus.

Harry stopped in the middle of their bedroom and turned to face Severus. He began to pull Severus’ jacket off. The man let him, watching Harry’s face intently. Harry felt it and looked up at Severus.

“Hmm?” Harry smiled at Severus, who in turn placed his hands lightly on Harry’s waist. 

Harry began to unbutton Severus’ shirt, casually caressing the firm chest under his fingers. He was working his way down slowly, button by button. Severus was standing absolutely still, his hands a solid warm weight on Harry’s hips. Harry could feel Severus’ warm breath on his cheek. 

Harry finally parted the cloth of Severus’ shirt and slid his palms up and down Severus’ chest. Severus gasped inaudibly when Harry’s hands brushed over his nipples. Then Harry slowly slid Severus’ shirt off his shoulders and let it fall to the floor.

Severus gasped again, when Harry lowered his face and placed a feather-light kiss right in the middle of Severus’ chest. Harry’s lips felt iron hot. Severus hadn’t realised he was so frozen through until that moment. 

Harry slowly knelt in front of Severus, dislodging his hands. Left without their support, they immediately found a new one, much softer. Severus tangled his fingers gently into Harry’s messy hair. Harry practically purred and rubbed his cheek on Severus’ abdomen. 

Slowly sliding his hands along Severus’ legs, Harry reached his feet and patted one shin lightly, indicating what he wanted Severus to do. Severus understood Harry’s intentions perfectly. Placing one hand on the young man’s shoulder to stabilise himself, Severus raised one foot so that Harry could tug Severus’ boot off. He repeated his actions to the other foot. 

Severus tried to help Harry by bending down and peeling his socks off, but Harry gently batted his hands away and did it himself. He slid his fingers under Severus’ trousers and peeled the soft black fabric away from Severus’ right foot. Harry kept his hands on Severus’ foot for several moments, warming the cold skin. Severus wasn’t sure he was quite comfortable with such attention, as he wasn’t quite sure if anyone ever touched his feet like this before. But it was Harry, and he would let him do anything to him.

Finished with his socks, Harry looked up at Severus. Harry slid his hands up man’s legs to his belt, undid Severus’ trousers and pulled them off his legs. Severus stepped out of the garment quietly.

Harry slid his hands up again, to the waistband of Severus’ briefs. All the touching and caresses made Severus visibly hard. It was impossible for Harry not to see this. But he carefully navigated his hands around Severus’ filled cock and tugged the waistband and the undergarment itself away from Severus’ skin.

Severus could feel Harry’s warm breathe on his cock as Harry was tugging his underwear down. Lingering there for a moment, Harry almost touched Severus’ flesh with his lips. Looking up at Severus’ face again, Harry smiled and licked his lips, his tongue a millimetre away from the crown of Severus’ cock. And then he stood up in one graceful fluid motion.

Severus groaned faintly. 

Harry smiled at him. “Hmm? Is something wrong?”

Severus growled and grabbed Harry by the waist, tugging his closer, pressing the young man to his naked torso and his hungry cock. “Bloody tease.” 

Harry laughed softly and amended his teasing by hugging Severus by the neck and rubbing his own hardness on Severus’ naked leg. Harry nipped on Severus’ lip gently, then seeming not to be able to hold off, kissing Severus sweetly for a second. “Bath first.”

Severus was about to kiss Harry again, longed and deeper, the way he knew both of them liked, but Harry has already slipped out of Severus’ embrace, took hold of his hand and was walking him to the bathroom. Half way to the bathroom, Harry stopped and quickly toed off his trainers, glancing back at Severus with a mischievous smile. The older man smirked slightly. It was one of the causes for their arguments, Harry forgetting to take off his shoes before going somewhere they were not welcomed. 

When they entered, the bathroom was warm and humid, filled with vaporous mist. Brinny did her job well. The bathtub was filled to the brim with hot water, white from the internal heat. Some spicy scent, which Severus was too lazy to identify, was wafting off the water.

With Harry holding his arm for support, Severus stepped into the bathtub. Half the water sloshed out soaking Harry socks and jeans up to his knees. 

Severus settled more comfortably in the hot water, rested his head on the edge of the bathtub and looked at Harry. His young man looked positively seductive. Harry’s hair got heavy and was curling at the ends; his face was shining from all the moisture hanging in the air, his damp clothes clinging to his lean body. Lowering his eyes, Severus could see that Harry wasn’t quite comfortable in his tight jeans which got heavier from the general dampness of the air. 

Severus extended his wet arm and deftly undid the button and the zip on Harry’s jeans, letting his cock have some more space and air. Harry sighed contentedly. Severus pressed his palm briefly to Harry’s hot length but quickly withdraw it. Harry whimpered and looked at him with pleading eyes. 

Severus smirked and quoted Harry’s earlier words. “Bath first.” He leaned his head back again and closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth and scent of the water and Harry’s gaze he just knew was eating him up. 

There was some rustling which Severus thought was Harry getting undressed. And then Severus felt Harry’s gentle fingers in his hair, stroking, untangling the long raven-coloured locks. Severus smiled lazily and sighted contentedly. Just as Harry, he liked having someone’s hands in his hair. Not that he had much of that before he got together with Harry. 

“Dip in”, Harry said in a soft voice. Severus closed his eyes and obeyed the gentle command, submerging himself fully and coming back up with his wet hair plastered to his face and head. Severus knew he looked ridiculous like that. He also knew that Harry wouldn’t laugh, not at him, not at something like this. Severus once again thought how blessed and lucky he was for having Harry in his life, and how stupid and inconsequential all his taunting and scathing comments had been. 

He felt Harry’s hands gently brush his wet hair back, away from his face. Severus opened his eyes and was rewarded with the upside-down sight of Harry’s face, leaning over him. Harry slid his bare arms around Severus’ neck and rested them on his collarbones. Just as Severus thought, Harry undressed. 

It was an unusual angle to look at his lover, but Severus enjoyed the view nonetheless. Harry leaned down further and pressed his lips to Severus’. It was the first upside-down kiss they shared, but the awkward position didn’t make it less tender and sweet. Harry’s hands slid down Severus’ chest and belly, his fingertips brushing Severus’ cock lightly, but still not touching it properly.

Harry made his way back up Severus’ body by caressing all the wet flesh he could reach. Resting his head in the crook of Severus’ neck, Harry pressed his lips to the man’s neck and stayed like this for several moments, inhaling the clean, wet scent of Severus’ skin. Severus raised his hand and burrowed his fingers into Harry’s hair, gently caressing the messy locks. 

Eventually, Harry placed a soft kiss to Severus’ forehead and stood up from whatever he was sitting on, to get a towel. Severus followed Harry’s movements with appreciating eyes, enjoying the sight of his young lover’s naked body, which was glistening with the tiny beads of moisture. 

Harry came back to the bathtub holding the towel in his outstretched hands and grinning widely. Severus snorted at seeing what the young man was holding. Apparently, in the wake of their spectacular argument Brinny decided to resolve any disagreements regarding the subject of towels in her own unique way. The towel was purple, covered in lime-green polka-dots. 

Severus snorted again and with a snap of his fingers changed the towel colour to neutral beige. Harry held it open and shook it slightly indicating what he wanted Severus to do. Severus carefully got up and stepped out of the tub. Harry gently wrapped the towel around Severus’ shoulders. “Now you are warm.”

Severus wrapped his arms around Harry’s waist. “More than you think.”

Harry chuckled and kissed the tip of Severus’ nose. “Now let’s have some tea.” 

Severus smirked but let Harry walk him back to the bedroom. Just as she was ordered, Brinny brought the tea set into the bedroom. Harry’s assumption was also proven to be almost correct. What they got was not quite the full course meal, but enough to let them skip dinner if they wanted to do so. The tray full of sandwiches, pastries and fruit, completed with a huge pot of tea, was sitting on a small table under the window.

Smiling at Severus, Harry went to the table. Once again following Harry’s lithe form with his eyes, Severus quickly and carelessly towelled himself. He smirked, thinking that the tea would have to wait. Severus followed Harry quietly and came to stand right behind the young man’s back. Harry felt the movement anyway, and turned his head slightly to smile at Severus. “Milk or sugar?”

Severus gently took the empty cup from Harry’s hand and put it back on the table. “You.” Severus slid his arms around Harry’s waist, pressed him closer to his naked body and slowly licked a line from Harry’s ear to his collar bone. “I think there are better ways to get warmer than drinking tea.”

Harry turned around in Severus’ embrace. “Really? And what would that be?” Harry’s lips were a breath away from Severus’. 

“I’m sure you are familiar with several possible courses of action.” Severus slowly walked back, tugging Harry with him. 

Harry followed Severus’ lead. “I’m afraid you would have to show me”, Harry whispered into Severus’ mouth, taking possession of those thin, but nevertheless sweet lips.

Severus felt the edge of the bed with his shins and tumbled back onto the bed, bringing Harry on top of him.

“With pleasure.”

As Severus looked up into Harry’s happily laughing face, he finally realised that all his previous concerns that almost led them to the precipice were completely unjustified. Harry truly loved him, and trusted him.

And Severus would make everything to keep these precious gifts of love and trust; he would do anything to prove it to Harry that they were treasured and cherished; he would do that with his every word and his every deed, for the rest of his life.


End file.
